ST. CLAIR – St.
Clair Golf Club celebrated 100 years of golf last year, and is generously sharing
its historic course for the 8th GAM Women’s Four-Ball Championship presented by
Optishot Monday and Tuesday.
A field of 34 teams will compete in two
divisions – overall and senior – on the course that dates to an original nine
holes opening in 1917, a makeover design by the legendary Donald Ross in 1923
and redesign of five holes and additional elements added by prolific Michigan
architect Jerry Matthews in 1994.
St. Clair has been a
great partner and member club of the Golf Association of Michigan, having
hosted the 2010 Michigan Women’s Amateur, qualifying for the U.S. Amateur in
2003 and last year hosting the GAM Women’s Championship.
In 1993 a contract
was signed by the club with Matthews Associates of Lansing for the design and
construction of five new holes and the land-planning for Golfside (79
home-sites on 150 acres). The hole numbers were changed and the front and back
nines reversed. The course, in the end a combination of Ross and Matthews
design, was ready for the 1994 Invitational.
St. Clair plays to
par 72 over 6821 yards from the back tees and 4,927 up front with seven
possible tee positions. St. Clair is a
full-service private golf club directed by General Manager John O’Donnell. The
golf staff is headed by Scott Rich and Jeff Fisette is the course
superintendent.
Last year’s senior
winners, Terry Delcamp and Joan Garety, are back in this year’s field going for
a fourth win. Veronica Haque won the overall
division two years ago with Moyea Russell, and is back for the second
consecutive year with her sister Savannah. Last week’s GAM Women’s Champion
Allyson Geer is playing with Michigan State University golf teammate Haylin
Harris in the overall division.
-Greg Johnson, [email protected]
